Trailer hitch



May 21, 1935. G. J. sHAFER 2,002,416

y TRAILER HITCH v Filed Oct. ll, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenlor `/qllamey G. J. SHAFER TRAILER -HITCH May 21, 1935.

jlllorncy l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11. 1934 Gear e ff'afe/f prising a nove Patented` May 2l, 1935 TRAILER HITCH George J acoh Oreg.

Shafer, Jacksonville, Oreg., asslgnor of one-third to Barney Cody,

Jacksonville,

s Application October 11, 1934, Serial No. 747,935

1 Claim.

one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a trailer hitch comarrangement of parts which the transmission of l construction,

through the medium of combination and shock between the towing vehicle, such as an automobile, and the trailer will be prevented.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a trailer hitch of the aforementioned character which is capable of substantially universal swinging movement for compensating forl irregularities in the highway and for permitting turns to be made without difficulty.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a trailer described which includes hitch of the character novel means for attachment to the rear bumpers of an automobile.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a trailer hitch which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, rattleproof and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the inv parent from a study ention will become apof the following specificaion, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding par ts throughout the sevsection. l

Figure 2 is a View in ve rtical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in tion, taken substantially on the line ure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view Referring now to the dr be seen that the embodiment of the vertical transverse sec- 3-3 of Figof the awings draw bar. in detail, it will present invention which has been illustrated comprises a metallic sleeve I which is mounted on the forward end of the trailer to project forwardly therefr ngue 2 in a manner to om. The sleeve I includes comparatively wide, flat integral bifurcations 3 on its rear end which receive the tongue 2 therebetween where sa through the medium of draw bar 5 which, it will wardly from said sleeve.

id tongue is anchored nut equipped boltsd.. Mounted for reciprocation in the sleeve I is a be noted, projects for- As illustrated to ad- (Cl. 28o-33.44)

vantage in Figure 2 of the drawings, the draw bar 5 includes a reduced rear end portion 6 which extends slidably through a bushing 1 which is secured in an intermediate portion of the sleeve I by a screw 8. Secured on the rear end portion 5 of the reduced portion 6 of the draw bar 5 and slidable in the sleeve I is a bushing 9 which is retained on said draw bar by a pin I0. A coil spring II encircles the reduced portion 6 of the draw bar 5 between the bushings I and 9 in a 10 manner to yieldingly resist forward sliding movement of said draw bar. A stop collar I2 is secured on the forward portion of the draw bar 5 by a pin I3 for limiting rearward sliding movement of said draw bar, said stop collar being en- 15 gageable with the forward end of the sleeve I.

The reference numeral I4 designates a tubular shaft which is firmly secured on the rear bumpers I5 of an automobile by means including angular brackets IB. The brackets I6 include 20 coacting plates I'I and I8 which are clamped on opposite sides of the bumpers I5 by nut equipped bolts I9. As best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the plates I1 terminate in horizontal flanges 20 at their upper ends which engage the upper 25 edges of the bumpers. The tubular shaft I4 is secured between the rearwardly projecting portions of the brackets I6 by avbolt 2|. The bolt 2| passes through centering plugs 22 which are mounted in the end portions of the tubular 30 shaft I4.

At its forwardx end, the draw bar 5 terminates in bifurcations 23 between which a cross head 2| is mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal plane about a pin 25. At its ends, the cross 35 head 24 is provided with trunnions 26 which are journeled in arms 21 on the tubular shaft I4.

From a consideration of the foregoing it is thought that the operation of the trailer hitch will be obvious. The spring II absorbs shocks 40 between the automobile and the trailer, as when l starting, thus preventing damage to said automobile or trailer. The pivotal mounting of the cross head 2d on the draw bar 5 permits the automobile to make right or left turns, while the ro- 45 tary mounting of said cross head between the arms 21 compensate for irregularities in the road or, in other words, permits relative vertical movement between the automobile and the trailer.

It is believed that the many advantages of a 5o trailer hitch constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

A hitch for trailer drawbars comprising spaced, opposed brackets mounted on the rear bumpers oi' an automobile, said brackets including plates ,clamped to the opposite sides of the bumpers, horizontal flanges on the upper end oi' one of. the

lo plates ot each pair engaged with the upper edges of the bumpers, a tubular shaft mounted between the brackets, a bolt extending through the shaft and anchored inthe brackets. centering plugs encircling the bolt in the end portions of the tubular shaft, arms projecting from the tubular shaft, and a cross head journalled between said arms and adapted to be pivotally connected to a draw bar. t 

